Harrogate’s Spring Flower Show: The annual horticultural event returns once again this April

Harrogate’s popular annual flower show will be returning again this April, bringing the town alive with all things floral.

From April 26-29 Harrogate’s flower show will arrive for its spring exhibition, before returning again in Autumn, September 14-16, as part of it twice yearly routine. Located at the Regional Agricultural Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, this flower show will once again see thousands of visitors come through its doors.

Launch of a new Secret Sheds feature for this years Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2018, pictured Fiona Fisk, Floral Pavilion Coordinator for the Harrogate Flower Show, in one of the secret sheds.

This flower show is organised by the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS), a leading gardening charity which was set up more than 100 years ago in order to both support and promote horticulture across the whole of the north.

The Harrogate Flower Shows are widely seen as two of the biggest and most prestigious independent shows in the gardening year, with the spring show being rated Britain’s best gardening event by Which?Gardening.

This flower show welcomes around 100 of the UK’s top plant nurseries and feature the work of not only established garden designers and landscapers, but it showcases up-and-coming horticultural talent.

The recent introduction of a new community category for Show Gardens added further opportunities for amateur gardening groups to showcase their work to the thousands of visitors at the show.

Every year the show sees over 100,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors come through its doors, but this continues to grow year on year.

Both the spring and autumn flower shows include individual shows within this larger event, which allows specialist gardening groups to hold their own annual shows, which enables them to not only promote their work, but to also recruit new members, and these specialist societies have become an integral part of the show.

Amongst these specialist societies are the National Vegetable Society (NVS) and the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS), who will both be making an appearance at the shows this year.

This year’s spring show has a varied array of events, ranging from spring show gardens, to Secret Sheds, to Floral Art. There is even a Feast! Food Theatre, where you can embrace the fresh taste of spring and enjoy delicious menu of seasonal dishes which are cooked by a variety of talented chefs.

There will also be a food marquee which will have everything from brownies to beer to pork pies and preserves, with exhibitors showcasing a wide range of delicious regional food which you can try before you buy. There will also be a range of restaurants, cafes and food outlets if you wish to grab something to eat whilst perusing the flowers.

Profits made from this spring show will then go back into the NEHS pot, which allows this charity to continue its vital work promoting all things horticulture, including its effort to provide funding for community projects in the north of England and its support of the 'Young Horticulturalist of the Year' Competition.